Touko looked at her fellow performer with slight chagrin while standing on the stage of Thomi East High's sports hall.
"You got me to be an actor in this, the lead character no less. But this is where I draw the line senpai."
Yuu put her foot down on the revealing piece of clothing her lover had gotten the sewing club to prepare for her.
"Fear is freedom! Subjugation is liberation! Contradiction is truth! And you will wear that outfit for the play, you pig in human clothing!" Her girlfriend shouted, brandishing her plastic katana with vigor.
"No, Touko! I am not wearing this embarrassing dress on stage. I am sorry, but you are overruled on the grounds of public decency and the importance of the public character of the school," The new student-council president firmly decided.
"Come on, Yuu! It's an important plot point." Her girlfriend pleaded. "And you have no reason to use having the lead role as an argument. You played a lead role in last year's play."
"That was only for the sake of helping you! So you can't you can't use it as an argument either."
"I agree with Yuu,' Koyomi added her protest to her friend's. 'We agreed to have the sewing club come up with their own designs instead of copying the designs from the show.
I am not wearing this ridiculously cute pink outfit!" The aspiring writer bristled. "And I don't think you should wear that outfit on stage either. It's... It's... unbecoming an honorary member of the student council." Koyomi glanced angrily at Sayaka.
Her girlfriend blushed slightly, but not for the reason the blackette seemed so apprehensive about.
"Koyomi and Yuu are right Touko. You can't appear on stage in front of the student body dressed like that. It looks ridiculous."
Sayaka looked at her girlfriend, who sighed contentedly in response to the blonde's support.
"Oh, so you are joining them in ganging up on me again, Sayaka?" Touko crossed her arms, sulking in the dress that prominently displayed her large breasts.
"It's the only way we can keep you from walking all over us after all, senpai," Seiji Maki grinned
"Oh, fine. If there is so much opposition to these designs I'll have more acceptable dresses designed. At the expense of the comic effect, so you'll have to rewrite the story," She added spitefully to Koyomi.
"I have no problem at all with that. I will have the new version ready in two days," The younger girl replied while adopting a defiant pose.
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A little while later Koyomi and Sayaka were walking to the latter's home, watching the trees blossom along their path.
"They're the color of your hair," Koyomi casually remarked as they both looked ahead at a Sakura tree.
Sayaka smiled.
"You don't have to compete with Touko," She half-teased, half attempted to ease her girlfriend's mind.
Ever since she had learned that Sayaka had been in love with Touko before she became enchanted by her present passionate and talented girlfriend, Koyomi seemed to have developed some kind of drive to outdo the former student-council president where she could.
According to Yuu, she had even taken study much more serious than before, leading her to great leaps forward on test results that sent the strawberry blonde's heart aflutter when she saw them, knowing all of that effort was for her sake and feeling proud of what the girl that loved her was capable of.
She really wanted to assure Koyomi that Touko was not a threat to their relationship, but she didn't really know how to do that.
Remembering how devoted she had been to her best friend and considering how formidable a rival Touko would be to anyone, she couldn't blame Koyomi for her reaction.
"You and she are very different people and I fell in love with you for different reasons. I could never talk so easy with Touko as I can with you. There are things I admire about Touko because even though I have also always striven to excel at them, Touko has always led the way for me.
But there are other things I admire about you," Sayaka continued as her girlfriend returned her honest look, "because they are alien to me, yet you have made me share your passion for them."
Without warning, Sayaka stopped the surprised blackette in her tracks by embracing her from behind and planting a kiss on her cheek.
"You do look very cool when you go head to head with her though."
Koyomi leaned her head backward while caressing the arms that had encircled her.
"Thank you, Sayaka. But I'm not trying to compete with Touko. I'm just trying to be good enough for you."
She turned around and looked up at her slightly perplexed girlfriend, sliding her arms around the blonde's back.
"you always dedicate yourself to do the best you can, whatever it is you take on. Apart from trying to become a writer there only used to be a few things I put so much effort in. I want to put in more effort in everything I do, just like you."
Sayaka felt all fuzzy inside as her girlfriend leaned her cheek on her shoulder, closed her eyes and hugged her
"I love you just the way you are, Koyomi," She replied, leaning her cheek against the blackette's while returning her embrace.
They rocked each other left to right for about a minute. Content smiles graced their faces as they inhaled the fragrance of the budding flowers around them.
Then they continued their walk to Sayaka's house, hand in hand.
"Thank you for picking my side," Koyomi continued the earlier subject. "I'm not trying to compete with Touko, but I just couldn't stand her wearing that ridiculous outfit in front of you," She gracefully stated.
"Of course I was going to pick your side," Sayaka smiled. "Ever since she fell in love with Yuu, Touko has been giving free reign to every absurd idea that pops into her mind. As her best friend it falls to me to try and talk sense into her. I'm grateful I've got the two of you to stand by me when I do."
"Senpai can be such a bully," Koyomi sighed.
"I'm glad you see what I've had to put up with for so long on my own," The blonde agreed.
"Are you really going to adapt the script in just two days?" She looked at the girl on her left with concern.
"Well, I gave myself a challenge. And I don't run away from challenges," Koyomi grinned.
They had arrived at Sayaka's doorstep.
'Then I'll have to give you some encouragement," The taller girl smiled, sliding her arms underneath her girlfriend's while the blackette caressed her hair and pulled her face closer in one movement.
Again and again, their lips slid over each other in their desperate, but futile endeavor to cling together as Sayaka considered how fluently Koyomi was able to express her love in poetry as well as in kissing.
The latter kept fondling the blonde's hair as they kissed until at last, she threw her arms around the taller girl's neck and Sayaka hugged her, whispering:
"Now you have to walk more than double the distance home alone. Yuu and Touko are so lucky that they have to walk the same way to get home. Tomorrow I'll walk you home again."
"I don't mind," Koyomi smiled, nestling in her girlfriend's warm embrace. "This is about the only way we get to spend time together without anybody else around. So I like walking home from here because of that. Besides, we always talk on the phone after we walk each other home."
Koyomi knew she had to start that journey, however, because of the challenge she had given herself. So kissing her girlfriend one last time and letting go of their embrace, she waved goodbye, ready to answer the phone when Sayaka called.
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Yuu watched her sister come in and join them at the dinner table as she dipped a mushroom in her egg yolk.
"Sorry for being late," Rei cheerfully apologized.
"I had appreciated you helping me with the ingredients," Her mother muttered while sipping her sake.
"I'm sorry. The seminar ran late."
The apologetic young woman kissed her mother and sat down next to her sister.
"Thank you for the delicious hotpot mother, I was looking forward to it all day. Especially during that boring seminar."
"Alright already. Enjoy your meal," The woman smiled.
Rei looked to her left and noticed her sister giving her a critical look for how smoothly she had won over their parent.
"How was your day, Yuu?"
"It was alright. We started practicing the new student-council play today. It was fun."
Yuu continued her meal, hoping she had successfully evaded the matter, but due to her studied casual behavior Rei smelled prey.
"What's the play about?" The older sister smiled while dipping a strip of meat in the egg yolk.
"It's about a girl reconnecting with her sister and mother after losing her father who she had lived alone with since her birth," Yuu nervously muttered.
"Oh. Sounds interesting," Their father piped up. "I can hardly wait to see it."
Yuu thought it better not to react and everyone continued their meal in silence for about half a minute. Until a thought struck Rei.
"What's the play called?" She asked.
Yuu visibly blushed under her gaze.
"I have to find you before my body bleeds dry," She groaned.
Rei stared at her and burst out laughing.
"What's wrong?" Their mother asked.
Rei just kept laughing while Yuu glared at her.
"Is Touko-chan having you perform Kill La Kill in a school play?"
"Kill La Kill?"
"It's an anime from a few years ago, father," Rei informed.
"It's a bit... extravagant," She continued, grinning at Yuu.
"So... Who are you playing, Yuu?"
Yuu frowned at her sister's amused grin and sighed, turning her attention to the hotpot.
"I think you already know, Rei-chan."
"You'll look so cool in Senketsu," The older sister chuckled.
"I bet Touko can't wait for the culture festival to start."
"I'm not wearing Senketsu. We agreed to have the sewing club come up with an original design."
"Oh," Rei looked disappointed.
"Why not. I was rather looking forward to it now."
Yuu curiously observed the look on her sister's face.
"Then Touko won't be wearing Junketsu?" Rei asked.
Yuu shook her head.
"How boring!" Her sister sighed.
"What are Senketsu and Junketsu?" Their father asked.
"They are totally extreme costumes. And Yuu and Touko would look great in them! Honestly, I can't imagine Touko would pass up the opportunity. Something doesn't add up."
"Why do you want to see my girlfriend in such an embarrassing outfit anyway?" Yuu deadpanned.
"You can't tell me you don't want to see Touko perform as Satsuki," Rei challenged her sister, chopsticks in hand.
"Of course I think she would be great as Satsuki Kiryuin, but we don't have to wear those revealing things to make it a great play. I trust the sewing club to design dresses so elaborate nobody will miss the designs from the show," Yuu blushingly concluded the discussion.
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Touko was watching television with her mother when she heard her Sailor Mars transformation sequence ringtone.
Picking up her cell phone from the coffee table she quickly went to her room.
"Hi Rei-chan," She smiled. "How are you doing?"
"Oh, great. Looking forward to a night out with some friends tomorrow evening."
"Clubbing without the boyfriend?" Touko smiled while fondling the plushie she had gotten from Yuu last Christmas.
"He's in Kyoto for a convention anyway, so it works out great. Say Touko-chan..." Rei grinned. "I heard about the play you're going to perform in school."
"I was wondering whether Yuu was still sulking about that?" The blackette frowned.
"I don't think so. But I got a little on her nerves asking about it so she might be somewhat annoyed with me now," The older girl giggled.
"What did she say?"
"Kill La Kill, Touko. How did you come up with that idea?"
"I just thought it was a really good epic story after we performed such an intimate one last year," Touko sat up with a serious air. "I asked Koyomi to rewrite it and take out the more cliché stuff as well as things that would be impossible for us to recreate on stage and adapt it so we can perform it without a whole lot of cost for decorations and props. It's very convenient that we got so many first years in the student council this year, so we have enough people to fill all the major roles."
"And you are not going to use the original designs for the dresses? I can't really believe you would pass up the opportunity."
"Alright, thinking how cute Yuu would look dressed up in Senketsu might have been my main reason for pushing the idea," Touko grinned.
Rei giggled at her reaction.
"Tsk. How you love to tease people, Rei-chan," The former student-council president sighed.
"But why are you agreeing to original designs? You would both look amazing in the show designs.
I really want to see you as Satsuki and Ryuko. But it would be such a shame not to see you dressed in Junketsu and Senketsu."
"Oh, but we will. I asked the sewing club to prepare more sober versions of the transformed costumes because Yuu and the others protested about the original designs."
Rei paused.
"This isn't like you, Touko. There is something you are not telling me."
"If you want to keep a secret you should share it with as few people as possible," The blackette smiled, resting her hand on her hip.
"Oh well. I'm satisfied to know things aren't as they seem. I look forward to the play."
Yuu frowned as she heard her sister hang up on the other side of her bedroom door.
She softly walked back to the living room.
As usual Rei and Touko were forging some diabolical scheme that would end up embarrassing her.
But this time she was one step ahead of them.
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Touko watched excitedly as Koyomi and Yuu parried each other's giant scissors.
"This time I'll take the eye my father forgot, Nui!" Yuu yelled.
Her blackette opponent screamed and pinched her right eye shut as fake blood squirted out of the eyepatch over her left.
"Hahahaha," She giggled a few seconds afterward. "If only, Ryuko-chan. But I'm afraid we have other plans for you."
A crimson net on a long thick thread was fired over Yuu's head from behind the curtain and as she turned around Sayaka appeared.
"Nui is right, Ryuko. You shouldn't fight your new sister. Rather I think we should take this time to become closer as a family. And then you can go and punish the people who hurt your dear loving mother," Sayaka added with a grin.
"Yes," Yuu nodded like a zombie. "Punish Nudist beach. Punish the Elite Four. Punish Satsuki Kiryuin. Punish Mako-chan."
"That was amazing!" Touko clapped boisterously while Suguru walked towards Koyomi with a bucket and handkerchief to wash her face.
"I guess these cheap stage props the hobby club made for us really do work," Yuu smiled, extracting her head from the net.
"You've got great aim, Sayaka-chan," Koyomi smiled.
The blonde gave her a cheerful wink.
"As long as I have my contacts in there's not a target I can't hit."
"How does it look from the seats, Riko-sensei?" Touko asked as their advisor ran up to them.
"It's really impressive. I had my doubts you would be able to put the action of the anime on stage, but you are really able to deliver an exciting fight thanks to the advice of the community theater's choreographer. And the special effects are obvious enough from a distance. That kids toy you use to shoot the net is a great find."
"Good news," Yuu sighed.
"Alright then," Sayaka said. "Let's clean everything up so we can go home. It's been a long day."
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"You really do look cool, performing as Ryuko," Touko smiled as she and Yuu were storing the costumes in the wardrobe for next day's rehearsal.
"Do I really?" Yuu asked with suspicion in her voice while trying to hide her overwhelming blush.
"Yeah," Her girlfriend sweated. "Why are you annoyed?"
"Why should I be annoyed?"
"I... I don't know? Did I do anything wrong?"
"Ah. I just got a headache from listening to a bunch of boring classes all day," The student-council president sighed.
Touko conjured a glass of aspirin from a table nearby with a gentle smile.
"I noticed. So I prepared this while you were rehearsing, for my sexy heroine."
Yuu smiled as she quietly took the glass from her senpai's hands while Touko rested her arms on the table and adoringly watched as she drank it all up.
"You know what's also really good against a headache," Touko grinned as the pinkette turned and looked at her while putting the glass away.
"A kiss."
Her girlfriend gave her an enchanted smile and leaned over the other side of the table.
"Then I want two," She blushed.
"It only starts to kick in after the fourth," The blackette whispered after the first.
"Then I'll need at least five. I have a really bad headache," Yuu smiled.
She loved this Touko. The kind, considerate, doting Touko to whom she was the world. And the determined Touko who gave it her all whenever she was turning an ideal into a reality. Or the boisterous Touko who like a force of nature pulled everyone along with her as she attained that goal.
Well... She loved every aspect of Touko, to be honest. But the part of her that was currently scheming behind her back to get her to wear that ridiculous embarrassing outfit against her will could really get on her nerves...
Even though that Touko too was irresistibly cute.
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"What did you call us here for senpai?" Mai asked as Yuu had joined her, Koyomi and Sayaka in the cafe.
The pinkette looked her audience in the eye one by one and groaned.
"I think we are going to have to be on our guard."
"What's wrong," Koyomi asked with an apprehensive look after sipping her tea.
"I overheard a phone call from my sister to Touko last Friday."
"You mean you were eavesdropping," Sayaka deadpanned.
"Yes. But from what I was able to overhear, Touko seems not to have completely given up on her plan to get us to wear those extreme costumes."
"That's hardly surprising," The blonde smiled knowingly.
Mai observed her senpai with intrigue while munching down her piece of cake.
"Well, we have to find out what they are planning. I don't want to wear that embarrassing outfit,"
"Aren't you overreacting?" Koyomi tried to calm her friend down. "We know what they are capable of when they got mischief on their minds, but I don't see how they can get us to wear those things against our will."
"I'm not being paranoid," Yuu looked away with an annoyed expression.
"They might pour water over us on stage so the costumes become transparent," Mai casually suggested.
Yuu and Koyomi looked at her with fascination.
"Surely you can't imagine Touko would do something outrageous like that in front of the entire school. With our parents and teachers present?" Sayaka sighed.
"It must be frustrating her that she can't get us to wear the designs from the show, but she had to promise the Principal we would keep things decent after all. The only reason we got permission to perform this adaptation is because Touko is the one who is in charge of organizing the play."
"If my sister is involved I can't be sure about anything. And it's Touko's last year at Thoomi East High. She might want to do something crazy after having been the perfect student for all this time."
"She wouldn't go that far even if she did."
"I think I read somewhere that you can use light to make clothing look transparent," Mai said to Yuu and Koyomi's quiet horror.
"Mai, please stop scaring your senpai," Sayaka deadpanned.
"We have to look into that," Yuu pondered.
"Nui's costume is pretty decent, despite looking totally ridiculous," Koyomi reflected calmly.
"They might find a way to tamper with your dress, but I don't see how they can turn the design the sewing club came up with into the show design."
"I can't help thinking the two of you feel safe while I might be in trouble," Yuu glared at the couple in front of her.
"Don't worry Yuu," Sayaka spoke gently. "There is nothing they can do. We will thoroughly inspect the new dresses the sewing club is making and the lighting used for the play. But you should be able to trust that Touko has her limits when it comes to outrageous behavior."
Mai looked at her phone hearing the ringtone of her girlfriend.
"Kotoko is done helping out at her parents' shop. We're going to the movies. See you later senpai," The girl with the black ponytail hopped off her seat and out the door after placing the money for her coffee and cake on the table and waving to Miyako.
"Running around like a whirlwind as usual," Koyomi grinned as she held Sayaka's hand under the table.
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"Hey Yuu," Rei waved casually, trying to hide her hurriedly taking her feet from the low table while fumbling with her cell phone.
"Are mom and dad not around?" Yuu asked in surprise, noticing the empty house and her sister leisurely lying on the floor.
"Mom and dad are at the movies. And grandma is visiting a friend. It's just us this evening," the older girl winked.
"What do you want for dinner?"
"I don't know," Yuu answered, scratching her head.
"How about Omurice? We could eat in front of the television?"
The sisters mischievously smiled at each other.
A little later they were sitting at the table watching the evening movie together.
"So how's the play progressing?" Rei asked while they ate their dinner.
"Pretty good," Yuu responded with her eyes glued to the screen.
"We got some great cheap props for the special effects. And we're really getting good at the battle scenes."
"Neat," The older girl responded, shoving a piece of omelet in her mouth.
Yuu gave her sister a sly sideways glance.
"We also foiled Touko's plan to get me to wear the lewd show design Senketsu."
"What?! Really?" Rei asked with a disappointed look. "What a shame."
"The two of you had a pretty good plan, but we had luck on our side nee-san," Yuu glared sternly.
"What are you talking about? I didn't have anything to do with it. Touko didn't even tell me what she's planning..."
Rei gave her sister a good look.
"Wait a minute," She smirked. "You are just testing me aren't you?"
"Tsk" Yuu fumed.
"I'm growing careless. Good thing Touko didn't tell me anything," Rei grinned and pointed a chopstick at her sister which inspired Yuu to start a fencing match with her.
"Ha! I win," Yuu stuck her tongue out as Rei's chopstick fell from between her fingers.
"Say it."
"Are we still playing that childish game?" Her older sister sighed while she rolled her eyes.
"You came up with it to get my deserts when we were kids. This is payback."
"Alright, alright. Your wish is my command," Rei bowed.
"Whatever Touko is planning involving Senketsu, I want you to not have any part in it."
"I promise. Geez, I told you already she won't tell me a thing about it," Rei smiled.
"Good," Yuu turned her attention back to the movie with a satisfied grin.
After a few minutes of watching and finishing her meal, Rei sat gazing at her sister.
"Nee-san, you're being annoying," Yuu complained.
"What do you want?"
"I was just wondering how much you'll miss Touko not being in the same school as you all day."
Yuu sighed and looked at her sister who was leaning her head on her right arm.
"It's not like we were ever in the same class," She stated. "And she's not in the student council anymore either. She just drops by whenever she can to help us out, or hang out with us more like.
The only thing we'll really lose is walking home together.
Of course, I'll miss it terribly," She concluded quietly while leaning her head on her folded arms resting on the table and heaved a sigh.
Then she turned around to face her sister.
"But it's not that much different from you and Hiro-kun after all.
So, we won't see as much of each other as we used to. But we'll meet up as much as we can like we do now. And we'll text and talk on the phone..."
In spite of the brave face she put up, Yuu gave her a sister an accepting but sad look.
"You might go to university together in a year," Rei tried to comfort her sister.
"University... Your talk is cheap Rei-chan."
Yuu leaned back and allowed herself to fall back on the carpet, dreamily staring at the ceiling.
"I know I should start to figure out what I want to do after my senior year, but I really don't have a clue."
"That's just who you are," Rei smiled, lying down next to the smaller girl while leaning her head on her left hand.
"Of course there are people who still don't know what they want to do with their lives at thirty. But in the meantime, you could just go on doing what you like to do now.
Why don't you go to management school too? Like Touko's been asking you?"
Yuu heaved another sigh and stared at the ceiling again.
"I just don't want to depend on Touko for everything I do, you know. She doesn't rule my life of course - well, she can be more than a little headstrong, as you well know - but it's not like she doesn't let me make my own decisions.
Sometimes I just get the feeling that I'm looking to her for direction all the time.
I want to know that I can steer my own ship."
"Aren't you doing that now?
Touko is always gushing how everyone says you are such a great succesor to her." Rei smiled.
"The teachers are full of praise, and all of the students respect and adore you."
"Yeah," Yuu sulked. "But I only decided to put myself forward in the election because Touko asked me to."
"Be honest though, you really enjoy working in the student-council, don't you?"
The pinkette faced her sister with an uncertain look that gradually turned into a grin.
"Yeah, I like it well enough. Even without Touko, it feels really great to be able to organize events, calculate budgets, help out the clubs, getting to deal with a lot of people and being the middleman between the school and the students.
But I don't know if it's what I want to do."
"Yuu. Stop worrying about dumb stuff and go to management school. It's what you were born to do," Her sister said, looming over her with a stern, sisterly expression.
"No matter if you go to the same one as Touko, it's what you're great at and it's what you enjoy. And once you do that, there'll be time enough to question whether you're walking your own path in life."
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"Why do you find it so easy to betray your own kind for the sake of this insidious alien invader?!" Touko confronted Koyomi who was dressed in her white and purple knight's tunic with the Rorschach-like shape of the original life fiber on her chest.
"What kind, Satsuki-chan?" The girl giggled as their Bakuzan halves clashed."I am neither human nor life fiber. I have no kind nor kin. The only reason for my existence is to help humanity fulfill the reason for its existence by ending it. And so we all fulfill ourselves by undoing one another as is our purpose in the great circle of life."
"I can't find the least unusual thing about this dress," Yuu whispered to Sayaka as they watched the battle from a distance. "I poured water on it. I've tried if there is cloth velcroed on..."
"I've had the lightning technician from the community theater group inspect our lighting with me and there doesn't seem to be anything unusual with any of it. He never heard of lighting that could turn clothing transparent by the way."
"Am I really being paranoid?" The pinkette sighed in her newly designed Senketsu.
"Touko wouldn't put you on display for the entire school," Sayaka smiled indulgently.
"She would if she was putting herself on display too."
Their eyes met.
"Yes probably," Sayaka sighed while looking away in defeat.
"Don't worry senpai," Kotoko who had come near smiled. "If Nanami-san tries to pull a prank on you I will jump in front of you so nobody can see you."
"What's that supposed to mean?!" The pinkette exclaimed agitatedly.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to imply you were short."
"We are up Yuu," Sayaka pocked her friend.
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About an hour later, Touko and Yuu sat in a quiet corner of Belgian restaurant "La Grande Place" at a table for two.
"I promised I'd take you somewhere special after the general repetition Yuu.
I hope we'll like the food," Touko beamed, shifting in her seat like a child.
"I learned about this place from a cousin who said the food is very good and it's a nice place to bring your girlfriend.
And I know it's a little out of the way, but It's close to campus and I wanted us to get more used to this part of town."
"It's our first date in a long time, so I don't care if we had to walk a bit longer. I'm just happy to spend some time alone with you," The pinkette smiled at her girlfriend before leaning closer and giving her a kiss.
"You really do look very cool as Ryuko, Yuu," Touko smiled before stealing another kiss from her embarrassed lover.
"But then you always look cool to me," The blackette giggled with her hands between her lap.
"Tsk. Now you're just teasing," Yuu looked away with a face as red as a tomato.
"You look really cool as Satsuki too," The pinkette muttered, dilating her girlfriend's eyes because of the unexpected compliment.
"You can be very smooth when you want to, Koito Yuu," Touko grinned while she blushed. "I tend to forget that about you, but it's nice to be surprised in this way. You make me wish this recess was even more private," She continued, sitting on her hands while leaning closer to her mesmerized girlfriend.
The sounds of the approaching waiter made them sit up awkwardly.
"Here is your Lindemans Cherry with the beef stew.
And here is the Old Beersel old Gueuze and mussels in Gueuze.
Please enjoy your meal."
Yuu smiled as she watched her senpai fish the mussels from the broth in the cooking pot and divest them from their shells on her plate.
"As usual you take on more work than you have to," She grinned adoringly.
Touko looked up and greedily swallowed one of the mussels with gusto.
"It's worth it though. They're very good!"
She exclaimed with her mouth full.
"Wanna try?" She continued, dipping one of the mussels in the mixture of mayonnaise and pickles that came with the dish and offering it to her girlfriend.
"Aahn," She grinned exhitedly.
Yuu smiled and swallowed the mussel, licking her lips afterward.
"You are right, they taste very fresh and a bit sour."
"That's the beer. Alright, now I get to try your stew. It smells delicious," Touko said, sitting with her mouth open.
"Yes, yes. Here you go," Yuu rolled her eyes with an indulgent smile.
"Yummy!" Touko sat back with a satisfied expression after her girlfriend fed her a bite of the tender meat.
"The stew is really savory and sweet," Yuu commented. "These fries are very tasty too. They're as thick as my fingers."
"Yes. They're very good."
"I'd love to come here together when you're at university from time to time," Yuu smiled.
"Yeah," Touko sighed, staring at her plate. "It'll be a lonely year."
The pinkette watched the older girl play with her shellfish and grimaced.
"How are YOU going to be lonely?" She whistled. "Sayaka will be going to the same university, and you'll have more friends than you can count in no time."
Touko looked up slowly, grinning to herself.
"You don't have to act brave for my sake Yuu. I know you feel the same."
Yuu gently took her girlfriend's hand in her own and the blackette put her other hand on top of Yuu's. Caressing her fingers.
"We'll text every day and phone whenever we can," The younger girl promised.
"And we take turns picking each other up from school once every week and we'll hang out together at least two times a week."
"And a date every month at least."
Their eyes shone as they gazed at each others smiling faces, sealing their promise with a kiss before continuing their meal.
Yuu stared under her eyelids at Touko quietly eating her mussels and french fries.
After a while, she scraped her throat.
"I... I've decided what I'm going to study next year."
She saw her girlfriend carefully put down her knife and watch her with a blank look.
"I want to be your kohai again after next year."
A blush spread over Touko's face, but after a pause, she got up and gracefully placed herself on the other side of the table next to Yuu, before glomping her and kissing her all over.
"Haha," Yuu giggled. "Did you want me to go into management so badly?"
"I'm just happy you finally came to your senses," Touko sighed, moving her food and beer to Yuu's side of the table.
"Yes. Well, we all have our quirks," The pinkette huffed.
"I'm only joking. I didn't want to influence you too much, but I think you came to the right decision and it didn't take that long.
Yuu watched her girlfriend grin and leaned closer to give her a kiss.
"You had some sauce on your lips," She casually said while putting a french fry in her mouth.
"So do you," Touko quickly replied.
"Hey! You're just using the kiss as an excuse to steal food out of my mouth."
"It tastes better after you chewed it," Touko grinned.
"That's disgusting, Senpai," Yuu smiled at the blackette.
"I love you, Yuu. This is great news," Touko hugged her again.
"I haven't gotten in yet."
"All the more reason to heed sensei's warning and not let your work as student-council president interfere with your studies. You have let your results slip way too much. You have more than enough people to delegate work to."
Yuu watched her girlfriend fish up and undress another mussel.
"Alright. I get the message. We can't all be geniuses," She moodily ate another piece of beef.
"You'll be alright..." Touko grinned. "If you watch your grades... And I work hard at being a genius," She elbowed her girlfriend
"I know,"Yuu smiled and sat a little closer until they sat shoulder to shoulder.
They quietly finished their meal, enjoying the closeness of each other and when the waiter came by again they each ordered another Lindemans Cherry.
"So Touko," Yuu began, holding up her long slender glass and admiring the rising bubbles. "How do you plan to get me to wear embarrassing Senketsu?"
The blackette choked in her beer.
"How direct!" She gasped.
Yuu fixed an inquisitive eye on her.
"Why do you think I have a plan?" Touko smirked before taking another sip.
"Are you saying you don't?"
"Yes and no," Touko giggled.
Yuu crossed her arms.
"I don't want to be embarrassed in front of the school."
"You won't be. But I would really like to see you in Senketsu, Yuu," Touko pleaded.
"Ugh, you are so spoiled," Yuu sighed.
"Of course. You're the one who spoils me."
The pinkette became aware of an arm sliding over her shoulder and turned her face to her left, finding her girlfriend's lips on her own.
"The people at the other table just left. We are all alone," Touko whispered.
"You smell like cherry's," Yuu whispered back, feeling herself getting drawn in by the blackette's longing eyes.
"So do you."
Touko leaned over her, supporting Yuu in her embrace and kissed her extensively, letting their tongues play in a cherry flavored heaven.
The waiter came by twice before they noticed him.
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"If you won't allow Senketsu into your heart you might as well fight me naked!" Touko yelled at an exhausted looking Yuu.
"A dress is designed to merge with you. It is supposed to become part of you!"
She brought her Bakuzan down to rest on the shoulder of the girl who was kneeling in front of her.
"How do you expect to fight me if you can't even understand that?"
"The audience seems to enjoy the show," Koyomi said, peeking behind the curtains.
"How could they not," Sayaka smiled behind her. "You did an amazing job adapting the anime for the stage.
Koyomi turned around and grinned at her.
"And rewriting it again," Her girlfriend continued.
"You are far too easy on me. You are my first critic now. You should give me a much harder time."
"I can't help it that I think you're an amazing writer," Sayaka blushed.
"If everyone in the audience is watching with baited breath I can't be wrong," She shrugged.
The blackette smiled, cupped the blonde's cheek and kissed her.
"I love how cool you are, Sayaka. But I also love it how you lose that cool for me."
The other girl smiled back at the adoring eyes looking up at her and took her lover's hands in hers.
"Someday you are going to be read all over the world," Sayaka said, kissing her talented girlfriend.
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"I have conquered every school in Japan for you, mother."
"So I've heard. I am proud of you, Satsuki. You must be tired?" Sayaka asked as she invited Touko to sit down in front of her and started to massage her back.
"Tomorrow I will visit Honnouji Academy to honor you, my daughter. But today you must rest from your exertions for our great cause..."
"I'm surprised you kept that scene," Yuu asked her friend behind the curtain while preparing for the next scene.
"You must think I am really insecure," Koyomi huffed.
"Sayaka used to be in love with Touko for a long time. But I know that's over now.
I know I'm the one she loves."
"You can rest assured," The pinkette winked at her.
"You are all she ever talks about. Even to Touko.
You make her very happy."
Koyomi returned her friend's smile and peeked at the stage to watch her girlfriend perform the play she had written.
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"Mother, we are ready to squash those who oppose us and help humanity fulfill its destiny."
Koyomi emerged from behind the curtain with several members of the sewing club who held a beautiful many-colored robe up for Sayaka's inspection.
"I present Omnisilk Koketsu," The fiendishly grinning blackette proclaimed.
Sayaka got up and slowly approached the garment.
"It is truly stunning. You have outdone yourself, my daughter.
"People are really enjoying the play, huh?" The former student-council president said while she and Yuu were donning their final transformation Junketsu and Senketsu dresses behind the scenes.
"Alright, Touko. I'll admit that you pushed a great idea for all the wrong reasons," Yuu smiled.
"Great causes are always fueled by personal desire," Touko winked.
Yuu's eyes wandered over her girlfriend's face for a second before she asked:
"Are you enjoying your last student council play?"
"Yeah," Touko smiled, deeply satisfied. "Thank you, Yuu."
"What for? I'm not wearing the..."
"For loving me back."
Perplexed for a moment, Yuu smiled back at the honest expression with which her girlfriend was looking at her."
Touko picked up a cotton swab from the make up table and brought it to the pinkette's eye.
"Don't move," She whispered kindly before carefully applying the tiny instrument to the corner of her girlfriend's eye.
"You had a tear in your eye," She blushed.
Moving to bring the cotton swab to the trash bin she suddenly felt a hand pull on her sleeve.
"Thank you for falling for me first," Yuu smiled up at her.
Returning her loving gaze, Touko gently took hold of Yuu's wrist and allowed her hand to slide down until they were holding hands.
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"So I killed your father and now you and your sister killed our mother," Koyomi stated threateningly as she approached Yuu, the two Bakuzan halves in her hands.
"Surrender your weapons, Nui. Nobody needs to die anymore," Yuu warned.
"As usual, You are sorely mistaken," The blackette grinned.
Since you absorbed the life-fiber spores Omnisilk Kotetsu was supposed to release to the world into your body, the only way to seed humanity now is by freeing them from your possession. So at least one person more needs to die: You!"
"I actually think I like Koyomi's version of the story better," Touko said as she and Sayaka cleaned the fake blood off themselves.
The blonde smiled to herself.
"I'll pass on the compliment," she said.
"Meanwhile. What are you planning, Touko?"
"What do you mean? I'm not planning anything," The surprised blackette replied.
"We both know how badly you want to see Yuu in Senketsu. The revealing Senketsu. I doubt you have given up on the idea, but You might really get her angry if you tricked her into wearing it somehow."
Touko watched the empathetic expression in her best friend's eyes.
"I'm not planning anything," She smiled.
"I would like to see her wear the show design. I think she would look really sexy in it. But I only want her to wear it if she wants to. I know I can be pushy, Sayaka. But even if I am, I know Yuu won't do anything she doesn't really want to. From the moment I met her she has been indulging me out of the kindness inherent to her nature and out of the love she feels for me."
Sayaka watched the introspective gaze her best friend wore and was satisfied that her friends' ability to make each other feel loved was as great as Koyomi's and hers.
"I know Yuu will wear Senketsu though," Touko beamed. "Because she always wants to make me happy. And I her."
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The student-council play's performers and crew boisterously streamed into Miyako's cafe, fully pepped up to celebrate the end of the midterm exams and the overwhelming success of the play.
"Thank you very much to allow us to basically take over your business, Miyako-san," Koyomi smiled.
"well, as long as you drink a lot and don't disturb any of my other customers I really don't mind if you make a little noise," The woman grinned.
"And as long as you keep a very kind girl as happy as you do, you will always find you owe me less than you expected Koyomi-san. So you don't have to thank me for anything.
Koyomi reflected on the best way to respond for a minute after their friend on the other side of the counter leaned over and gave her a conspiratory wink.
"Hey Koyomi," Sayaka came up and clung to her girlfriend's arm.
Looking at her friend's faces she rolled her eyes at the older woman.
"Were you trying to bribe my girlfriend again Miyako-san?"
"Tsk. I would give Koyomi free drinks even if she wasn't dating you. I guarantee you that much."
"You would seduce one of my students - a minor - you mean," Riko said while she approached from behind the counter.
"I just think she's a great girl, that's all. You know I only have eyes for you, Riko-chan."
Koyomi and Sayaka watched Miyako trying to kiss her lover while she tied her apron to help out, but their teacher playfully gave her the cold shoulder.
"Do you know where Touko is? Everyone is waiting for her to arrive and now I can't find Yuu either."
Koyomi checked her cellphone.
"If they haven't contacted you, I don't know where they are either. I saw Yuu ten minutes ago talking to Kotoko and Mai. And Touko said she'd be here on time for Yuu's speech. So she'll be here."
At that moment a trenchcoat-clad woman entered the premises, drawing all eyes towards her and strode in, divesting herself of the coat in one movement while pointing a shiny plastic katana at Koyomi and Sayaka.
While all others present were at the moment enthralled by the newcomer Riko looked at Kotoko who was fumbling with the bar's stereo-equipment at her feet.
"Kotoko?! What are you doing back there?"
"It's alright sensei. We got permission from manager," The short-cropped blonde girl winked.
"The two of you might be shamed by the ephemeral values of the masses. I, however, will show neither shame nor hesitation in doing what I set out to do!"
The four young women at the bar let their shocked eyes wander over Touko's revealing Satsuki Kiryuin cosplay from top to bottom.
They needed a few moments to recollect their thoughts.
Before they could do so their friends all loudly applauded the defiantly posing girl before them.
Until the speakers proclaimed: "Don't lose your way!"
Touko broke into a crimson smile as she turned her eyes towards the bar's toilets from where a gorgeous and very sexy Ryuoko Matoi cosplay addressed her.
"I have noticed your desire to see me in this outfit, former student-council president! So because of the self-restraint you have been showing, I decided to dress myself up like this after all. But then I realized I was doing exactly what you expected me to do! This was your plan all along! Isn't it, Nanami Touko?! "
Touko's sword fell on the floor as Yuu came closer.
"Well, of course, I would expect nothing less from you than for you to spoil me as usual out of the kindness of your heart Yuu," Touko blushed.
"You look even more amazing than I expected," She said while letting her right hand wander over Yuu's equally flushed cheeks.
"Senpai..."
Without warning the blackette pulled her girlfriend into a long smooch under another wave of boisterous applause.
There was no speech that day, but a lot of photographs were taken that Yuu wished she could have confiscated, and some of which found their way onto Rei's smartphone to her regret.
But it was all worth it to see Touko enjoy herself partying together with her in their Kill La Kill cosplay.